Care workers in Hertfordshire get £400 bonuses to boost retention

Retention bonus payments worth £400 per person will be given to frontline care workers to stop them quitting their jobs this winter.

Health and care workers who remain in their jobs until the end of February 2022 will receive the bonus payments from Hertfordshire County Council and the county’s two NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).

The £7.8 million investment to fund the bonus scheme is the first of its kind nationally and will be part-funded with £2.8 million from the government’s Adult Care Services Workforce and Recruitment Grant.

The remaining £5 million needed to finance the payments will be taken from joint Hertfordshire County Council and NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups funds, which are designed to reduce pressure on the county’s health and social care system.

Councillor: ‘We want to show our appreciation’

Cllr Richard Roberts, Leader of Hertfordshire County Council, said: “We are so grateful to care workers who have done such incredible work throughout a really challenging time. Without them the whole health and social care system could not function, so we want to show our appreciation and make sure they are rewarded for their continued dedication and effort.

“They have played a vital role during the pandemic, and we know there will be a tough winter to come. We hope that this bonus will make sure they know they are valued.”

Hertfordshire GP, Dr Nicolas Small, who chairs the Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group, said Hertfordshire’s proximity to London and low unemployment rates “have made it challenging to recruit and retain the highly skilled care workers we need.”

“The retention scheme is designed to help us to retain our dedicated staff through the winter ahead, ensuring we can provide good quality care to residents and reducing pressure on other parts of the health and social care system.”

Care boss: Bonuses will 'make a real difference'

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) has been urging the government to fund a £1,000 winter retention bonus for all staff, to stop care workers leaving the sector.

The bonus payments will be made through the Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered care providers which employ care workers to deliver services commissioned by the council and the NHS.

The bonuses will see care providers in Hertfordshire being given the flexibility to use the money to pay enhanced rates for Christmas shifts, as well as paying retention bonuses to their employees.

Camille Leavold, managing director of home care firm Abbots Care, said: “Our highly skilled staff work incredibly hard, 365 days of the year. As well as the challenges COVID-19 has presented, winter will bring additional pressure to those working in social care to keep residents in need of care and support well.

“We’re delighted that the public sector in Hertfordshire is acknowledging the part we play with this funding, not just in response to the pandemic, but in keeping the wider health service running smoothly. These bonus payments will make a real difference to people working in the sector and support providers with recruitment.”